cnw1995Morning all. Damp, grey but warmish - low 50s - in Chicago this morning. The temp. hammer should drop this evening, just in time for the weekend. Was able to tackle the front lawn leaves for a hour yesterday - for the first time instead of raking, because everything was just mashed into a thick wet leaf paste, I just kept running over them with the lawnmower set high. It felt suitably destructive and seemed to work.
Morning all. Damp, grey but warmish - low 50s - in Chicago this morning. The temp. hammer should drop this evening, just in time for the weekend. Was able to tackle the front lawn leaves for a hour yesterday - for the first time instead of raking, because everything was just mashed into a thick wet leaf paste, I just kept running over them with the lawnmower set high. It felt suitably destructive and seemed to work.
Morning All,
Haven't posted much lately, but seeing Doug's post jarred my memory. Not sure if I posted this or not, but last weekend I was doing the same thing as Doug and some leaves were laying on the top of mower deck, a stray leaf hit the muffler and poof my whole mower deck was on fire. Jumped off and ran to get rake to pull leaves off the deck. To make a long story short, now the mower will not run and I have to go see the mower service guy about picking it up. Probably have to rewire the thing and replace all belts because the belts were burning too. It never rains but it pours. The moral of the story is never use a power tool for an unintended purpose. From now on it will be leaf blower only and then utilize the shredder to grind them up.
The BOY starts his first real job on Monday. He is nervous but excited. Lots of calls from him this week about which insurance plan do I sign up for, etc. Glad he found a position with this economy the way it is. We know three people who supposedly had good secure jobs who were laid off in the last two weeks. Two are sister's neighbors who have big houses with bigger mortgages so not sure how they will survive. The other is BIL in FL. He tells us unemployment in Pinellas County (near St. Pete) is nearly 14 percent and pushing higher. He said he dodged four rounds of layoffs and would have gladly taken lower pay to keep health benefits. Really starting to hit close to home.
Today want to reassemble a pre-war train I have been repainting and get it ready for display on my desk for Take a Model Train to Work Day which is November 21st. No outdoor work today as it is reainy and nasty. Cold front is coming with highs forecast for the lower 30's next week. Looks like winter is headed our way. Yuck.
Take Care,
Mitch
Bob Mitchell Gettysburg, PA TCA # 98-47956 LCCA# RM22839
Good Mornin, Y'all,
Raining and 57 here, but the forecast says something far more disturbing......looks like the cold is moving here from points West. In the next few days an overnight low in the teens is on the docket. Hope Buckeye is wearing his long underwear and doesn't have to share that cave with Laz' bear. Hope all you guys in the snow country have checked your snowblowers out. Mine was missing the first 3 speeds and needed some work.
Lee.....what ever happened to the layoffs in your world? Guess you survived this one.
Dennis......glad to hear your wife is scheduling stuff for you even when you are on call. Makes me feel we are a band of brothers. My boss some years back requested I cancel a two week vacation (sans kids) to the Carribean my wife and I were taking to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I handed him the phone and said if he could get HER permission, no problem. He tabled his request. I would have loved to have seen his facial expressions if he had made the call. Or heard something from the other end like "You really need to get your priorities straight! Get a life! Give me your wife's phone number, she and I need a serious chat. The stupid company will be there when he gets back!"
Brutus......glad your crud is getting better. Mine has improved, but the head part just won't quit. Sleep interupted nightly, and I'm dragging. Had to nap last night before going to bed. So much for all that parental VERBAL support over the paintball issue. My parents would have had me over at your place doing the cleanup in 10 degree weather with lightening strikes to boot.
RT......good thing this electrical issue didn't become something far worse. Trains at risk, better keep the good stuff by the rope ladder and your bedroom window. Re that ill-placed a/c vent blocking your attic access in the hallway, look into using the flexible ductwork and move it a few feet.
Chief......my dogs are not allowed to sleep on the bed. Over the course of the night, they sprawl out and there's no room for my wife and I. Plus the big guy snores worse than I do. It's bad enough the dogs have an internal alarm clock that mandates I be up no later than 6:30 am to let them out and feed them. Although the kids are no longer a factor, there is still no such thing as sleeping in. It took them about a week to readjust to daylight savings (lighter earlier).
SirJames......my final Fall cleanup occurs around Thanksgiving so there is no more neighbors' mess to wind up in my yard. Been doing that way since the 70s in Chicago. Snow in your neck of the woods? So you are the one sending the cold temps this way. Knock it off!
DougDG and Don......was watching the news of the terrible (again) California fires last night. I didn't know Oprah Winfrey and Christopher Lloyd lived in your neighborhood. Can't wait for Oprah's segment on neighbors who use their swimming pools as bath tubs when the hot water tank goes South.
DougM.....was really encouraged by your son's improvement. Hang in there. As I said many times, with children you are lucky when you only have to contend with one or two disasters at a time. Prayers for his continued progress. Kind of makes Christmas special this year for you and the better half. So how is the math working out for him? Or was it a science? Seems somewhat unimportant now, doesn't it.
Rich......nice weather, no Harley. Now that's sad. Soon it will be snowing down there and the riding season will be lost.
Fifedog.....R.I.P. Facing life threatening danger every day on the job. Ironically taken from us at such an early age due to a domestic accident. I remember my wife took our kids out to teach them to drive, about four years apart. The process was the same. She'd go out once and then decide "home" drivers' ed was a man's job. At least with the kids I could speak and advise freely. With the wife? No! Speak up and you die. Remain silent and you die. Better you than me, though I did manage to survive teaching my wife to drive stick.
JimPhish.....T-Minus and counting. At long last we will have a representative to arbitrate our indiscretions with the Almighty. "Really, they're not as evil as they seem. Hell seems too drastic for them. Why not just surprise each of them with another child?" Penance can be worse than damnation.
Buckeye.....re your Tardis visit. Even the dogs wouldn't go near you. I don't mind letting you use the shower, but I had to call in a HAZMAT crew to clean up after you. You need to hide out at a Holiday Inn in North Dakota, out of range of the Roseyville Air Force.
JohnB......it was great hearing from you. Bet a lot of us wonder how the Brits contend with Fall cleanup and falling temps. We'll send you some snow this Winter since there seems to be a shortage of it over your way. You must have been having a chuckle listening to us whine about petrol prices at $4.20 a gallon for 87 octane. Well, gasoline prices have plummeted to about half those levels of about 3 months ago. Time for another internationally generated panic to restore those prices. If you guys liked us so much, you'd send us all your crude from the North Sea.
Spanky.....always enjoy your sense of humor. You must be my long lost twin. Enjoy your pictures too.
Kurt.....waiting to hear what trains the little ones have on your their list for Santa. That would be a good thread: "What trains my kids pine for and my wife lusts over for Christmas."
MikeC.......what has become of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame? Sad. Even the Charlie Weiss magic isn't working. Words of wisdom for you when you resume a regular winter routine at the YMCA. Wear sunglasses to mask leering.
Later, gang.
Jack
POSTSCRIPT: Mitch......sounds like you had a gas leak with the lawn mower. I never refuel when the mower is hot.....stop for a beer break. Glad you weren't hurt. From now on carry a beer in your pocket to douse flames.
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
Good Morning, decided to skip the train show this weekend and save the admission for layout supplies.
cool and wet out with snow coming soon
Good Morning from Blueberryhill....
It is a gloomy and rainy 50 degrees. Going up to a gloomy and rainy 55. And then, it will get colder. Yuk.
Today I am busy around the house. We have a few things that need attention. I may try the basement steps later, if I feel daring. Not much else new here.
Buckeye..You need to come out of the deep, dark cave and protect the area around Washington D.C. As soon as possible. The Chief is planning some sort of surprise attack in that area.
Dining car was here for breakfast. Had the usual.
Y'all have a great Saturday.
Chuck
Good day to everyone. This is my first post on CTT. Honored to have my first post to this forum after staying up late last night and making it to about page 22 of this forum. Thought I would go ahead and post and try to keep up on things. Here in Richmond, VA it's surprisingly warm with a little breeze, overcast sky with the sun starting to burn the clouds away. Just moved to my wife and I's first house and starting to unpack misc boxes. Listening to RUSH as we unpack. After reading 22 pages of this forum, as a "younger" collector at age 31, I have a whole 2 car garage for a train room, and it's big and per the wife, it's deemed the man's cave. I need some advice on some good software to start my dream layout. Any suggestions? Looking forward to any advice and any support is appreciated, I know I will need the assistance in due time. Hope everyone I have been reading about is well, have a good day. Thanks for any responses in advance.
Patrick
Welcome to the forum
As for layout software it ranges from free to close to $100.00 for cad like programs that let you design everything from bench work to 3D repersentation of a layout.
I my self have used AtlasO free download software also have used RR-track lite(MTH version) came with MTH set. Also have used track templates in O and S to draw free hand on paper and pencil fun but tedious work.
How much of the garage are you going take up for layout? for maximum mainline length I would do an around the walls with a panensula.
hello this is a test
Morning all. Clearing but cold here - not as bad as I thought so today'll be an outside workday to get rid of more leaves and clean all the stuff off the deck. Mitch, my mower is an electric mulching mower - small deck (18 inches), long cord ;) but it works wonders on the grass and the leaves - guess I was 'green' back before it was cool. Congratulations on your son's real job. What a wonderful hopeful sign!Ah, Buckeye is out of hibernation - must mean all is right in the world. What is that whistling noise? INCOMING!Welcome Patrick! Have a cuppa. Personally, I've never used software to plan a layout - just drew and laid track down on the floor. I think the name of the software I've heard commonly used is Right Track.Jack, the boy is feeling so much better, concentrating more easily, not as 'combative'. Still struggling in both Sci and Math - and English and everything but Spanish come to think of it. But I'm confident we'll work that out. Just glad he's in a better place. By the way, as an alum, I agree the Fighting Irish are pathetic. You should see what the Chicago papers are saying about Weis. Another big high school playoff football game today against the #1 team. Go Gators...
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Good Morning All
Welcome Patrick and remember if you ask for help to give as much info as possible so you get a correct answer. Rainy and 43 here,very depressing. Some snow forcast for tonite thru Monday. not much, but snow. the small TTOS train show is tomorrow so I go look at the same things again this month. We just can't stay away from a show. As for the leaf thing, I have no trees but get leaves from my next door neighbor whom does not clean up from her tree. I too have a mulcher blade and just let it chop. Maybe a little training this morning,not sure yet.
Have a good weekend....S.J.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Where is that Buckeye??????
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Mornin' boys. Mornin' English. FOGGY here in the Mid-Atlantic region. Visibility down to 100 yards. Wifey is dealing with a stubborn chest cold .
Chief is headed to the Capitol? Are you staying for the inauguration
A2S (Patrick) ----> .
RockIsland - Trying to ease wifey into the stick (our Chevy is automatic though...)
Fifey, NOPE!!! Actually going Dec 11 or 12 and coming back that same weekend. Luncheon, cruise on Potomac and other things. Then I can go to Vietnam Vet Memorial [The Wall]. Always go there. Will try and fly the Stars and Bars over the Capital. How close is I 95 to you? [wife says we can fly and USDA pays, they pay mileage too]
Chief - about 6 miles form I95, about 52 miles from DC.
Chief we have 2 tornado seasons here in Ohio spring and fall with an occasional twister in the summer, sorry to hear people got hurt in the storm. We mostly get storm damage in Columbus.
Buckeye may be some where in the area of the train show this weekend
Here's a link to that free software, Patrick - colder and greyer - I bought a dishwasher on the way back from dropping off the teens at the Big Game.
Patrick....but I gotta run. In fact, I have been running all week.
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
ChiefEagles rtraincollector Kurt congrats on 10 years well electrician came and the main problem is some one spliced copper and aluminum wiring together and didn't splice it tight and also had kitchen and 2 bedrooms on same breaker he split the kitchen from the 2 bedrooms. the wires that were spliced ( aluminum and copper had arced to the point that they started to melt together so it was good I called home owners warranty company and had electrician come out and look. it only cost me $55.00 not sure what there bill will be but he was here hour and 1/2 and replaced a total of 3 breakers. See what happens if you mess with the Chief or Mother Nature. Raining pretty hard. Time to leave Town Hall. Meeting in Raleigh was a good one [free meal]. Later.
rtraincollector Kurt congrats on 10 years well electrician came and the main problem is some one spliced copper and aluminum wiring together and didn't splice it tight and also had kitchen and 2 bedrooms on same breaker he split the kitchen from the 2 bedrooms. the wires that were spliced ( aluminum and copper had arced to the point that they started to melt together so it was good I called home owners warranty company and had electrician come out and look. it only cost me $55.00 not sure what there bill will be but he was here hour and 1/2 and replaced a total of 3 breakers.
Kurt congrats on 10 years
well electrician came and the main problem is some one spliced copper and aluminum wiring together and didn't splice it tight and also had kitchen and 2 bedrooms on same breaker he split the kitchen from the 2 bedrooms. the wires that were spliced ( aluminum and copper had arced to the point that they started to melt together so it was good I called home owners warranty company and had electrician come out and look. it only cost me $55.00 not sure what there bill will be but he was here hour and 1/2 and replaced a total of 3 breakers.
See what happens if you mess with the Chief or Mother Nature.
Raining pretty hard. Time to leave Town Hall. Meeting in Raleigh was a good one [free meal].
Later.
ChiefEagles Morning all. Tornados east of here and folks dead. Ran through the early morning hours. Sun was out earlier but now clouds rushing by. Feel erie outside. Might get some more bad weather.
ChiefEagles I hear jet engines overhead.
I hear jet engines overhead.
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Chief Real sorry to hear about those tragedies from the tornado's in N.C. especially there in Raleigh.
cnw1995 colder and greyer - I bought a dishwasher on the way back from dropping off the teens at the Big Game.
colder and greyer - I bought a dishwasher on the way back from dropping off the teens at the Big Game.
Whats her name ?
38 degrees in St. Louis and done working for the week - yay! Picked up 8 hours of OT, which helps pay for some toys! Doug, glad you were driving last night as I was pretty tired. Should have said something as we could have dumped your old washer last night out by that lake up in NC - I hear it makes a nice home for baby crappie! Hope Sir James got to run trains this morning. Jack - wife wouldn't let me make them come in the cold
RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.
Woops - where are my manors? Welcome Patrick! I use RR Tracks, which was a great investment as I have used it a lot just to play with track plans and also to help some others figure out some things. I highly recommend it!
Oh by the way chief Buckeye kinda ran over a little at the end of the runway this morning. It was on his return from scouting some small place called Rolesville, N.C. he said the plane was bigger.
Hope shake n bake and doug are no where near the fires out there or anybody else from here and prayers to the ones that live out there.
Good evening all,
It was cold and wet in SE Indiana. RT, I loved the picture. Grandkids and daughter were down here today. Ran the Alaska set. Going to see the latest Bond movie. Got to run.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
RT -
Mike - let us know how it is!
Went out to a local deli for dinner and had a muffaletta sandwich (well, half of one) since I was strangely hungry for olives. Yummy!
Just back from the Cheese Cake Factory. Big meal with Pam's "girlfriends" and their hubbies. Had fun. Too full. Plop plop fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is. Works every time. Glad they still make those. Now to read my OGR that I have started 4 times and never get past the frist 5 pages. ZZZZZZZZZZ Later
Good Evening All
I'm full of it, turkey dinner that is. ha fooled ya. The church had a big dinner tonite,a good practice run for thanksgiving. Had the whole works right down to pumpkin pie. Only problem was there was a really long commerical afterwards. I know better than to say this but sometime they have made their point but just don't know when to stop. A very depressing day here, rained all day and could change to a lite snow. temps in the 30s now and thats the hi for this coming week. Brutus come on by, I'm full but banilla is waiting...S.J.
I'm in for Pumpkin Pie and Banilla, that's for sure!
Boy am I ready for a Tardis run, get me outta here!!
Today has been extremely eventful in So. Cal.!
Thought I would post a map so you all would get a relative perspective of where things were happening.
First, The fire that started last night, about 10:30 is represented by the red sunburst #1. That fire has claimed a mobile home park of over 500 homes, 1 left. They are going to be going through with cadever dogs Sun. AM. They dont have any idea of causlties yet. As of tonight over 600 homes burned, numbers not complete.
This morning (5 am) I left home (green circle w/"A") for a small electronic swap meet at location "B". Was at there from 6 to about 1030. The swap meet is located at a High School Parking lot there. About 9:00 the winds were picking up, and reported to be up to 70mph gusts. Packed up to leave, and go to location C. As I was leaving saw billowing smoke from fire # 2 come over the hills that seperated the location from the fire. Don't know what started it, but it started while I was at the swap meet. I had driven threw that area earlier.
Arrived at location C, for a computer show at the LA Fairgrounds in LA. By 2:00 fire 3 and 4 had started. Those fires were the result of embers from the #2 fire. By 4:00, the freeways (red lines) adjacent to all 3 of the fires. (The fires subsequently jumped the freeways). At 5:00 I left the computer show for home, and had to go north to the 210, then west to the 605, to get back home. (Approx. 30 mile extended trip, no problem). The freeways that were not closed due to the fires, were clogged from the overflow of traffic.
Got home, Kay told me they haven't been able to see the sun, since 3:00 today. The sky has been completly orange to a blackish color. Ash is falling like snow, and of course the air intolerable. Not just smoke but all kinds of other pollutants from the fires. The bad thing for us is, when we have these Santa Ana wind conditions, (where the wind is coming from the east to west), you can see from the map we are getting all the smoke and stuff from fires 2 and 3. Also 4, their is kind of a funnel affect. (Believe me I'm not complaining from what other people are loosing.
Sorry, for the poor graphics, but assume the yellow crescents represent densly populated areas. (The area between the legs is also densly popultaed)
The green D is an approximation of where SPMAN (Ray) lives. -- Glendale
An interesting note, some of you may be familiar with John Force, (Drag Racing) his shop is in Yorba Linda, I used to work in the adjacent building. Anyway, the primary shopping center in the area has burned to the ground. At the fairgrounds where I'm doing the computer show, they are also having a major drag racing event this weekend. He was on the radio earlier being interviewed, said they had a lot of cars up at the fairgrounds, but he has taken his pickup to his office and pulled all the computers and hds from the facility.
Finally, don't think its going to be a good night the fires #2, & #3, are going toward very high density area. News is reporting that 10,000 homes are at risk. Over 60,000 people have been evacuated. Sure hope they are exaggerating. Went out to our driveway, the cars are covered with ash, as is everything else. NOT GOOD! They have reported 5% containment, and hoping the flames "lay down" for the night. But tomorrow is not going to be a good day either. More winds expected. Not suppose to get any moisture in the air until Tuesday, when the Santa Ana's subside. I've seen it bad here before but never this bad.
A Lot of people in this country are really suffering tonight, East Coast tornadoes, West Coast wild fires. Sure hope we ALL get some GOOD NEWS soon, we need it. Lots of prayers for those folks !!!!!!! Don't mean to ramble, but I've been thinking all day some may have lost a lot financially recently, then face potential job cutbacks, and then loose your home. Really would be tough.
Good Night and God Bless Us All !!! Better days coming !!
Don
My heart goes out to all you poor souls affected by this disaster.
I got up to a dull, damp Stockport and thought 'what a horrible day' and then opened the pot and read Don's post!!!!!!
John Baker
Don....If needed, you can share my cave with me, since you are responsible for me being on the run.
It is Sunday and I hope the Chief is going to church. The Southern parson is talking about forgiveness and I hope some of it sticks to the Chief, if not I'm in the cave for another week or more.
Now it is again that time of the year in Buckeyeland, where it gets more than a little nutty, it gets insane. This is:
BEAT MICHIGAN WEEK!!!
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